


Imagine This:

by Stargazer898



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate History, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-29 02:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18217103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stargazer898/pseuds/Stargazer898
Summary: A Remenant where the White Fang and Faunus oppression are treated seriously. Why did the Faunus start the White Fang? What drove the White Fang from peace? How did questions with no right answers spiral out of control? Start by imagining this:





	Imagine This:

Imagine this:

          After endless battles, and countless deaths, the war between the Faunus and the Humans is over. The two sides lay down arms and discuss terms for peace. The Faunus want little more than to exist as _equals_ instead of inferiors. To have the wrongs committed against them addressed and a better future for their children. The Humans want to maintain their lifestyles, which had relied on Faunus subjugation on every level. They Humans propose a compromise to phase out the Faunus mistreatment and provide the Faunus with control over an out of way territory to tide them over. Some are wary that Humans will not keep their word. Instead finding new ways to hold them in subservience. Most just want the war to be over. The Faunus agree to the compromise.

          They should have been more wary.

          For those who stayed on the mainland, the mistreatment grows worse as time passes. No Human "owns" a Faunus anymore and branding is a crime punishable by the most extreme measures. But what Human needs to "own" a Faunus when they can get away with paying them in petty change? What use is a law outlawing branding if no offender is ever charged for breaking it? The Faunus organize and speak out against their mistreatment. They organize peaceful protests, demanding equality and justice for all. They are the White Fang of the great beast that created all of Remnant. The Humans turn a deaf ear to them.

          For those who left for the new territory, they are bombarded by Grimm as they cross land and sea to reach their new home. Most of them perish on the road from hunger, illness, attack, or combination of the three. The island itself has a bountiful coast, but this does not stop illness and Grimm attacks from plaguing the refugees. And make no mistake, these Faunus are refugees. They do the best that they can, with those knowing some herb lore or hunting tricks teaching them to the others, but none of them were ever _allowed_  to train in medicine or as Hunters and that is what they desperately need to go from getting by to thriving. They turn to the mainland for help and find none. The Faunus there have no more training than the refugees and the Humans care not for what happens outside of their homes. The refugees make do. Sending their best and brightest to learn at the academies where they are belittled, besmirched, and taken advantage of in the hope that they can help them. They stand in solidarity with their brothers and sisters on the mainland, adding their voices to the rallying cry for justice and equality. It still is not enough.

          At some point, furious that the Faunus _**will not stay in their place,**_  a Human strikes down one of the protestors at a White Fang rally. The others rise up in their defense, united in their fury and purpose they drag the Human off of them. The story goes viral. For the first time in years Humans are listening. They punish the assailant and condemn them as a vestige of a less enlightened time. All is looking well, until it isn't. After the assailant is in custody they talk about what to do less and less until trying to talk about it is framed as "dredging up the past." No effort was put into addressing any of the systematic problems that plague the Faunus. Even throughout the trial of the assailant, they were treated as set pieces not people who had a right to be heard. The fury settles deep inside them. Remembered each time the Humans continue to refuse to hear them.

          The White Fang stop waiting for the Humans to listen. They start targeting the mining companies who demand their labor for mere change _~~it is enslavement in all but name~~_ , liberating the Faunus workers and destroying the product. It works. The Humans notice that only those who exploit their workers are attacked, and most switch to humane treatment easily (not the Schnees, but Jacques Schnee was more stubborn and proud and less empathetic and caring than most). The fury simmers at the ease of their victory. They could have had this _years_ ago, but the Humans refused them out of greed. They turn to plans on how to _**make them pay.** _The White Fang starts ambushing Humans who mistreat Faunus (with the Schnee Dust Company as the most egregious) for supplies. _**Let those who would harm them be responsible for getting the refugees in Menagerie much needed food, water, and medicine.**_ The refugees finally start seeing an improvement in their quality of life. Each strike against those who would see them subjugated feeds the fury clawing at the hearts of the White Fang. _**Words were never enough. Words never saw the Faunus liberated from horrific work conditions. Words never saw food and water onto their tables. They suffered for years relying on words that never came through. Action did. Violence did. What could they accomplishment if they used more?**_

          This is when Blake and Adam start to argue. Blake longs for the White Fang of her childhood. The stalwart voices for Justice and Equality who always made a point of bringing supplies to her and the others of Menagerie while telling tales of hope for a better future. Adam wishes for a White Fang of the future that will do Whatever It Takes to keep any other from ever being branded or enslaved again. They try to reconcile their differences, but they do not know how to bridge the gap between what they each see as Right. After many arguments, each leaving Blake seeing more of a monster in Adam and Adam seeing more of a wilfully blind arbiter in Blake, it becomes clear that it is not a gap that _can_ be bridged. When Blake realizes this, she abandons Adam and the White Fang all together. Changing her focus to learning a skill that could help her people back in Menagerie. When Adam realizes this, he lets her go without a struggle. Turning to plans for a future where Faunus are free.

          The rest, that's a story for another time. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was just supposed to be a quick headcanon post over on discord. Instead I have an entire prologue typed up on my phone and Ideas for future chapters are bubbling. Please feel free to comment :D I love hearing what you think.


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